More than 85% of regulated marijuana products sold in Colorado’s adult-use market might violate health and labeling laws, according to a recent report by one of the state’s cannabis operators.
Frustrated by the apparent reluctance of the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) to test state-regulated cannabis products and punish those found to be breaking the law, Justin Singer, CEO of manufacturer Ripple, asked his staffers to visit Denver-area MJ retailers on Nov. 12 and purchase the flower, shake and pre-rolls brands “they would normally purchase.”
The company then sent unmarked, unadulterated samples – bud, pre-rolls and shake – to a state-regulated cannabis laboratory to have the products tested for potency, yeast and mold, pesticides and microbial contamination.
According to the lab results, only two of the 15 products purchased at Denver-area retailers complied with state regulations, and some were found to have dangerous levels of contaminants.
Out of 15 cannabis products purchased for the study, 12 (or 80%) reported THC content outside the 15% variance allowed under Colorado law.
“This was worse than I expected,” Singer told MJBizDaily.
“I thought a third of the products were going to fail, and I thought that was going to be bad enough to raise a ruckus.”
Singer first realized there was a problem with the state’s potency testing system about a year ago, when Ripple sent samples to three labs and found “everybody was out of band” in terms of results.
“That really set us off,” Singer said after sharing the self-funded study with MJBizDaily.
The study was first reported by CPR News.
Elizabeth Kosar, a MED spokesperson, told MJBizDaily via email that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Laboratory Services Division is responsible for auditing licensed marijuana testing facilities.
“The Division takes a deliberate, science-informed and data-driven approach to all regulatory requirements, including the testing program,” Kosar said, adding that evaluating and revising testing requirements is an ongoing process.
“For example, over the past three years, required pesticide testing has evolved significantly to align with required pesticide testing in other state regulatory cannabis programs, and required hemp testing in Colorado.”
H/T: mjbizdaily.com
